US4037244A - Avalanche photodiode - Google Patents
Avalanche photodiode Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US4037244A US4037244A US05/684,382 US68438276A US4037244A US 4037244 A US4037244 A US 4037244A US 68438276 A US68438276 A US 68438276A US 4037244 A US4037244 A US 4037244A
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- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 claims description 13
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 claims 1
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 239000004065 semiconductor Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 230000001960 triggered effect Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 6
- 230000003321 amplification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000003199 nucleic acid amplification method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 101100386054 Saccharomyces cerevisiae (strain ATCC 204508 / S288c) CYS3 gene Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 150000001768 cations Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005684 electric field Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052732 germanium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- GNPVGFCGXDBREM-UHFFFAOYSA-N germanium atom Chemical compound [Ge] GNPVGFCGXDBREM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000000977 initiatory effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004943 liquid phase epitaxy Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052710 silicon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010703 silicon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 101150035983 str1 gene Proteins 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L31/08—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof in which radiation controls flow of current through the device, e.g. photoresistors
- H01L31/10—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof in which radiation controls flow of current through the device, e.g. photoresistors characterised by potential barriers, e.g. phototransistors
- H01L31/101—Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation
- H01L31/102—Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by only one potential barrier
- H01L31/107—Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by only one potential barrier the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiodes
Definitions
- This invention relates to an avalanche photodiode intended for telecommunications by optical fibres.
- Avalanche photodiodes have already been used for this purpose.
- Avalanche photodiodes add an amplifier effect caused by the avalanche to the photodetector effect.
- Conventional diodes of this kind are made of silicon or germanium.
- the object of the present invention is to provide an avalanche photodiode which does not have any of these disadvantages.
- the avalanche photodiode according to the invention is of the type comprising a heterojunction, one of the elements of the junction being made of a material which is transparent to the wavelength to be detected, the other being opaque to that wavelength.
- the avalanche photodiode according to the invention is essentially distinguished by the fact that, between the two elements of the junction there is a region which is doped to a greater extent than the transparent element. This region may be the seat of the avalanche phenomenon without affecting the element in which it is present.
- FIG. 1 is a basic diagram of the diode according to the device.
- FIG. 2 diagrammatically illustrates a first example of embodiment.
- FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates a second example of embodiment.
- FIG. 1 is a diagram of an avalanche diode according to the invention. It comprises three superimposed layers 1, 2 and 3, the region 2 extending solely in the central zone of the region 3.
- the region 1 is heavily doped and is of a first conductivity type
- zone 3 is lightly doped and is of the conductivity of the zone 2.
- the end zones 1 and 3 support contacts 6 and 7, respectively, which enable them to be connected to the respective poles of a battery 8, one directly and the other across a load resistance R c .
- the biassing source 4 biasses the diode in the backward direction.
- the zone 3 is directly exposed to the radiation to be detected.
- At least one of the materials 1 and 3 is a material with a forbidden band width greater than that of the material 2 so that it is transparent to the radiation to be detected. In the case of FIG. 1, it is the layer 3 which is subjected to the impact of the radiation.
- the n-doped layer 1 (doping concentration of the order of 10 16 at/cm 3 ) is deposited upon a substrate 100 of the same conductivity type, this substrate being more heavily doped (10 18 at/cm 3 ).
- the layer 2 has a p-type conductivity and is heavily doped (10 17 to 10 18 at/cm 3 ).
- the layer 2 has a thickness of the order of 0.1 micron; this thickness is such that the layer 2 is unable to absorb the radiation to be detected. It is inserted into the zone 3 which has a much lower doping concentration and a thickness to the order of 5 microns.
- the substrate is earthed.
- the space charge due to the potential - V biassing the diode in reverse direction is limited by the equipotentials 0 and - V.
- the greater the doping of one of the elements of the junction the lesser the thickness of the space charge zone. This results in the form of the two equipotentials 0 and - V which surround the zone 2 and approach it.
- the electrical field is at its maximum at the interface between the region 2 and the region 1.
- the radiation to be detected passes through the regions 2, 3 and 4 without significant absorption and is absorbed by about 1 micron in thickness in the region 1.
- Each photon creates one pair of electron-hole. Since the potential - V is assumed to be sufficient to obtain the avalanche in the region 2 and not in the region 3, each electron travels towards earth. By contrast, the holes pass through the zone 2 where they trigger off the avalanche phenomenon.
- the advantage of initiating the avalanche by the holes is that the noise caused by the amplification phenomenon is lower than in the case where it is initiated by the electrons.
- the conductivity types are reversed, the substrate 100 being of the p +- type (doping concentration 10 18 at/cm 3 ).
- the layer 1 is of the p - type and has a thickness of the order of 10 microns.
- the layer 2 has a much greater thickness than in the previous case (1 to 2 microns) and an n - conductivity type and a doping concentration of the order of 10 16 at/cm 3 .
- the layers 3 and 4 are of type n - and type n + conductivity, respectively (doping concentration 10 15 and 10 19 at/cm 3 , respectively) and have the same thickness (5 microns, for example).
- a potential + V is applied to the contact 6.
- the radiation is thus absorbed by the layer 2 itself and the field is at its maximum in the vicinity of the interface of the regions 1 and 2.
- the various materials used have a composition corresponding to the formula Ga 1 -x Al x As, with 0 ⁇ x ⁇ 0.2.
- the diodes are obtained by liquid-phase epitaxy as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 526,929.
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- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
- Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
- Power Engineering (AREA)
- Light Receiving Elements (AREA)
Abstract
An avalanche photodiode has an avalanche voltage relatively low. In one of the two elements of the junction there is a zone doped more heavily than said element and having the same conductivity type.
Description
This invention relates to an avalanche photodiode intended for telecommunications by optical fibres.
Avalanche photodiodes have already been used for this purpose. Avalanche photodiodes add an amplifier effect caused by the avalanche to the photodetector effect. Conventional diodes of this kind are made of silicon or germanium.
They have the disadvantage of necessitating a high avalanche voltage of the order of 200 volts and of having a low performance at the wavelength of 0.80 microns which is particularly used in telecommunications.
The object of the present invention is to provide an avalanche photodiode which does not have any of these disadvantages.
The avalanche photodiode according to the invention is of the type comprising a heterojunction, one of the elements of the junction being made of a material which is transparent to the wavelength to be detected, the other being opaque to that wavelength. The avalanche photodiode according to the invention is essentially distinguished by the fact that, between the two elements of the junction there is a region which is doped to a greater extent than the transparent element. This region may be the seat of the avalanche phenomenon without affecting the element in which it is present.
The invention is described in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a basic diagram of the diode according to the device.
FIG. 2 diagrammatically illustrates a first example of embodiment.
FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates a second example of embodiment.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of an avalanche diode according to the invention. It comprises three superimposed layers 1, 2 and 3, the region 2 extending solely in the central zone of the region 3. The region 1 is heavily doped and is of a first conductivity type, zone 3 is lightly doped and is of the conductivity of the zone 2. The end zones 1 and 3 support contacts 6 and 7, respectively, which enable them to be connected to the respective poles of a battery 8, one directly and the other across a load resistance Rc.
The biassing source 4 biasses the diode in the backward direction. The zone 3 is directly exposed to the radiation to be detected.
At least one of the materials 1 and 3 is a material with a forbidden band width greater than that of the material 2 so that it is transparent to the radiation to be detected. In the case of FIG. 1, it is the layer 3 which is subjected to the impact of the radiation.
Two arrangements are possible, namely the arrangements shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in which the phenomena are not strictly identical.
In the first case, FIG. 2, the n-doped layer 1, (doping concentration of the order of 1016 at/cm3) is deposited upon a substrate 100 of the same conductivity type, this substrate being more heavily doped (1018 at/cm3). The layer 2 has a p-type conductivity and is heavily doped (1017 to 1018 at/cm3). The layer 2 has a thickness of the order of 0.1 micron; this thickness is such that the layer 2 is unable to absorb the radiation to be detected. It is inserted into the zone 3 which has a much lower doping concentration and a thickness to the order of 5 microns. A zone 4 of p+ type (doping concentration 1019 at/cm3), of the order of 5 microns thick, covers the assemblage and carries a contact 6 brought to a potential - V. The substrate is earthed.
The arrangement operates as follows:
The space charge due to the potential - V biassing the diode in reverse direction is limited by the equipotentials 0 and - V. In this case, it is known that the greater the doping of one of the elements of the junction, the lesser the thickness of the space charge zone. This results in the form of the two equipotentials 0 and - V which surround the zone 2 and approach it.
The electrical field is at its maximum at the interface between the region 2 and the region 1.
The radiation to be detected passes through the regions 2, 3 and 4 without significant absorption and is absorbed by about 1 micron in thickness in the region 1. Each photon creates one pair of electron-hole. Since the potential - V is assumed to be sufficient to obtain the avalanche in the region 2 and not in the region 3, each electron travels towards earth. By contrast, the holes pass through the zone 2 where they trigger off the avalanche phenomenon.
The advantage of initiating the avalanche by the holes is that the noise caused by the amplification phenomenon is lower than in the case where it is initiated by the electrons.
In FIG. 3, the conductivity types are reversed, the substrate 100 being of the p+- type (doping concentration 1018 at/cm3). The layer 1 is of the p- type and has a thickness of the order of 10 microns. The layer 2 has a much greater thickness than in the previous case (1 to 2 microns) and an n- conductivity type and a doping concentration of the order of 1016 at/cm3.
The layers 3 and 4 are of type n- and type n+ conductivity, respectively ( doping concentration 1015 and 1019 at/cm3, respectively) and have the same thickness (5 microns, for example).
A potential + V is applied to the contact 6. As in the previous case, this results in reverse biassing of the diode, but the space charge region penetrates (equipotential + V) into the region 2 by virtue of its much greater thickness than in the previous case. The radiation is thus absorbed by the layer 2 itself and the field is at its maximum in the vicinity of the interface of the regions 1 and 2.
The holes created by the impact of the photons are entrained towards earth and bring about the avalanche in the region 2, as in the previous case. In both cases, the figures quoted are based on a radiation λ of wavelength substantially equal to λ = 0.8 μ (infrared).
The various materials used have a composition corresponding to the formula Ga1 -x Alx As, with 0 < x < 0.2.
The diodes are obtained by liquid-phase epitaxy as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 526,929.
The characteristics of two examples described purely by way of illustration are summarised in the following Tables:
TABLE 1 __________________________________________________________________________ EXAMPLE 1REGION SUBSTRATE 1 2 3 4 __________________________________________________________________________ thickness 500 5 0.1 5 5 (μ) x 0 0 0 or 0.2 0.2 0.2 impurity type n n p p p ##STR1## 10.sup.18 #10.sup.16 ##STR2## <10.sup.15 >10.sup.19 purpose -- detec- amplifi- -- con- tion cation tact __________________________________________________________________________
TABLE 2 __________________________________________________________________________ EXAMPLE 2REGION SUBSTRATE 1 2 3 4 __________________________________________________________________________ thickness 500 10 1 to 5 5 (μ) 2 x 0 0 0 0.2 0.2 type of con- ductivity p p n n n ##STR3## >10.sup.18 10.sup.18 10.sup.16 10.sup.15 10.sup.19 purpose Detection contact and amplifi- cation __________________________________________________________________________
Claims (8)
1. An avalanche photodiode for detecting incident radiation of a predetermined wavelength comprising superimposed, a first layer of a first type of conductivity and a second layer of a second type of conductivity opposite to the first, said layers having respective superimposed central portions, and inserted in one of said central portions a third layer forming a rectifying junction with said first layer, said third layer having a high impurity concentration, so that the electrical avalanche phenomenon is localized preferentially in said third layer for reverse biasing predetermined voltage values applied to said diode.
2. A diode as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second layer is exposed to said radiation, and being made of a semiconductor material having a forbidden band width greater than that of the materials of said other layers so as to be transparent to the radiation to be detected.
3. A diode as claimed in claim 2, wherein the conductivity types of said layers are selected in such a way that the avalanche phenomenon is triggered off by the displacement of holes within said third zone.
4. A diode as claimed in claim 3, wherein the thickness of the third layer is sufficiently thin to be transparent to the radiation, the radiation being absorbed in the first layer.
5. A diode as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first layer has type n-conductivity, said second and third layers having type p-conductivity, the first layer having a doping concentration of the order of 1016 at/cm3, said second and said third layers having doping concentrations of the order of 1019 at/cm3, the thickness of the third layer being of the order of 0.1 micron.
6. A diode as claimed in claim 3, wherein said third layer is sufficiently thick to absorb the radiation to be detected.
7. A diode as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first layer has p-type conductivity, the second and third layers have type n-conductivity, the doping concentrations being of the order of 1018 at/cm3 and 1016 at/cm3, respectively.
8. A diode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the layers are made of a compound corresponding to the formula Ga1 -x Alx As.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
FR7515437A FR2311408A1 (en) | 1975-05-16 | 1975-05-16 | AVALANCHE PHOTODIODE |
FR75.15437 | 1975-05-16 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US4037244A true US4037244A (en) | 1977-07-19 |
Family
ID=9155367
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US05/684,382 Expired - Lifetime US4037244A (en) | 1975-05-16 | 1976-05-07 | Avalanche photodiode |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US4037244A (en) |
JP (1) | JPS51140587A (en) |
DE (1) | DE2620951A1 (en) |
FR (1) | FR2311408A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB1509144A (en) |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4160985A (en) * | 1977-11-25 | 1979-07-10 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Photosensing arrays with improved spatial resolution |
US4276099A (en) * | 1978-10-11 | 1981-06-30 | The Secretary Of State For Defence In Her Britannic Majesty's Government Of The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland | Fabrication of infra-red charge coupled devices |
US5554882A (en) * | 1993-11-05 | 1996-09-10 | The Boeing Company | Integrated trigger injector for avalanche semiconductor switch devices |
Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2396419A1 (en) * | 1977-06-27 | 1979-01-26 | Thomson Csf | DIODE CAPABLE OF OPERATING AS EMITTER AND LIGHT DETECTOR OF THE SAME WAVELENGTH ALTERNATIVELY |
JPS55162280A (en) * | 1979-06-01 | 1980-12-17 | Mitsubishi Electric Corp | Photodiode |
JPS5721876A (en) * | 1980-07-14 | 1982-02-04 | Canon Inc | Photosensor |
JPS57198668A (en) * | 1981-06-01 | 1982-12-06 | Fujitsu Ltd | Light receiving element |
CA1280196C (en) * | 1987-07-17 | 1991-02-12 | Paul Perry Webb | Avanlanche photodiode |
JP4949053B2 (en) * | 2007-02-06 | 2012-06-06 | 中澤 直継 | Power distribution duct |
Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3959646A (en) * | 1973-11-28 | 1976-05-25 | Thomson-Csf | Avalanche photo-diodes |
Family Cites Families (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3821777A (en) * | 1972-09-22 | 1974-06-28 | Varian Associates | Avalanche photodiode |
-
1975
- 1975-05-16 FR FR7515437A patent/FR2311408A1/en active Granted
-
1976
- 1976-05-07 US US05/684,382 patent/US4037244A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1976-05-12 DE DE19762620951 patent/DE2620951A1/en not_active Ceased
- 1976-05-13 JP JP51054779A patent/JPS51140587A/en active Pending
- 1976-05-13 GB GB19847/76A patent/GB1509144A/en not_active Expired
Patent Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3959646A (en) * | 1973-11-28 | 1976-05-25 | Thomson-Csf | Avalanche photo-diodes |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4160985A (en) * | 1977-11-25 | 1979-07-10 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Photosensing arrays with improved spatial resolution |
US4276099A (en) * | 1978-10-11 | 1981-06-30 | The Secretary Of State For Defence In Her Britannic Majesty's Government Of The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland | Fabrication of infra-red charge coupled devices |
US5554882A (en) * | 1993-11-05 | 1996-09-10 | The Boeing Company | Integrated trigger injector for avalanche semiconductor switch devices |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JPS51140587A (en) | 1976-12-03 |
GB1509144A (en) | 1978-04-26 |
DE2620951A1 (en) | 1976-11-25 |
FR2311408B1 (en) | 1977-12-09 |
FR2311408A1 (en) | 1976-12-10 |
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